Ellen and pure sailing

[doris]

Magnificent as Ellen’s stunning performance is can it really be called pure sailing. Don’t get me wrong I am one of the greatest admirers of the girl and hope she cracks it and gets all the gongs going when success arrives.
However her biggest worry at the moment is diesel powered electricity. The main engine/generator is using oil at too great a rate so she has to use the back up air cooled reserve. It would appear that things may get marginal for her when she is back in the tropics. I’m sure we will all keep out fingers crossed for her but to have ‘sailed’ round the world dependent on diesel seems to me to be an oxymoron. When she does succeed on this trip she will have raised the bar so high that I cannot see anyone else getting a package together to challenge her for ages, if ever (mind you they said that about Joyon’s record).

Surely the next real record will be to sail round the world non-stop single handed without non-renewable energy. ie. Using wind, solar and towed. This might even get some real development going in those types of energy production. There is an argument for applying this to the Open 60 style races as well.

Comments chaps?

 

[mirabriani]

Let me say I am a great admirer of Ellen and these comments are not intended in any way to decry her efforts.
However, if the subject is "pure sailing" you are probably right
But first things first, when Great Britain conquered Everest, some
peeps criticised the team because it was one of the best equipped at that time.
So, I hope she beats the record by such a margin that it will be a long time before any one comes near.
Then, if others are so inclined, let 'em have a go with more natural forms of generaters, so that they can claim to be pure.
Or they could go the wrong way round etc etc
Whatever, keep these efforts as open as possible, because I think
it could benefit all of us.
For instance future petrol or diesel generators are likely to be lighter/
more rugged. Future solar panels will be more efficient. Maybe the towed type will benefit.
All, of course, only my view

Regards Briani

 

[snowleopard]

then you could have categories for using no electricity just paraffin, sextant instead of gps, hemp ropes instead of synthetic, build it yourself from natural materials, dugout canoes, manpower only (no sails), one hand tied behind your back, blindfold....

the possibilities are endless.

 

[mirabriani]

L O L
Bri

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Given your criteria, none of us (or at least very few) go pure sailing... most if not all of us consider it of primary importance that we match our battery capacity against our consumption and generation capabilities.... does that make our sailing impure?

Give the girl a break.... she's facing more than most of us would want to... and for my money, genny or no genny, she's as bloody close to 'pure sailing' as it gets...

But do understand your argument still......

As an aside... Golding is within 90 miles of the lead this evening... come on Mike... its all uphill from here.....

 

[Sarum28]

I presume all this criticism is from the comfort of your computer chair and not the middle of the ocean

 

[paulskent]

I have been following Ellen's progress closely and have listened to her nightly audio reports on progress. She doesn't seem to be enjoying herself much and seems depressed and apprehensive most of the time, to the extent that I can't bear to listen to her anymore.

On the other hand I am also currently reading Joshua Slocum's "sailing alone around the world". He seemed to really have enjoyed himself although I suppose some of the enjoyment came from some of the places and people he visited. Big contrast in the feedback from the two different people.


PK.

 

[mirabriani]

Have you got to the section where he has to put tin tacks on deck? Frighten off natives by shooting at them?
Driven back to South America by storms?
I guess he wrote the book in some comfort during the lulls,
or back in port.
These days we get reports in "real time"

Regards Briani

 

[Talbot]

Also Slocum was not pushing his boat as fast as it could go. Yes she is pushing hard and going through some fairly horrendous problems that have already nearly caused her to fail. She is sailing fast in an area with icebergs on her own. The horrendous costs involved add an additional pressure cause unless you are seen to push the boat to its limit, the sponsors are not interested next time.

Ellen needs all the support she can get to beat her own personal demons, and remember that the record she is trying to beat was established with similar kit to her own including generators for the electricity. Dont forget that a lot of the power is actually needed to maintain the links to the website and to her sponsers. If she was sailing on her own there would not need so much power thus less reliance on the generator.
I suspect that most of her food needs water added, there will be little store of water and whatever is needed will be supplied by a watermaker (modern racing routine) cause water is weight.

 

[doris]

There is no critism of Ellen. I am one of her greatest fans but the point was that all the record breaking boats these days seem to have an enormous requirement for diesel to power up extensive electronics, the likes of which are only in the wildest dreams of us 'ordinary 'sailors.

 

[Talbot]

Dont agree with you at all. So what has she got that us ordinary sailors dont have. Remember that you have to compare her boat with others being prepared for long distance cruising.
Equipment will be:
Watermaker - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers
Plotter - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers
Radar - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers
HF - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers
Satellite phone - also carried by increasing number of longdistance cruisers
Inmarsat - also carried by quite a few large long distance boats (see ARC lists)
Generator - Most people just use main engine for this, but on a large boat it is very inefficient to use a 50hp engine to create electrical power, and there is an increasing fit of small generators (I even carry a small petrol one myself for emergencies)
weather fax - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers
Instruments - also carried by the majority of longdistance cruisers

So what else does she have that long distance boats dont carry - yes she has the latest and best, but why not when trying to do what she is doing.

Bet she doesnt carry a DVD player and surround sound that are starting to appear in some boats now!

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

"the record breaking boats these days seem to have an enormous requirement for diesel to power up extensive electronics"

Yep, but IMHO thats the reality of the modern sailing environment..... its progress... thats what makes the boats so bloody fast......

It doesn't make the sailing any less of an epic adventure or achievment (which I acknowledge that you recognise)... while Slocum et al did it without these aids, they also did it considerably slower... with speed comes danger.... and for me they net each other out....

I love the progress personally.... I don't want to go back to Sepia charts with "There be sea monsters" written in the corner /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Woodentop]

How much equipment ?

I see your point.

It is the same as the arguement about climbing Everest with or without oxygen.

Once it has been climbed - with whatever aids are possible - then others try to do it in as "Spartan" a method as possible.

 

[jonjo]

You did not mention her autopilot. My guess is this would be a major consumer of amps on Ellen's boat.

 

[Alastairdent]

Read her latest email? The one where (in the midst of sailing with winds gusting from 8 - 30+kt), she goes on about how beautiful the light is on the boat etc?

I think not.

She's entitled to sound miserable most of the time - I can't imagine how exhausting it is.

Australia has a name for you guys; "Bunch a Bl**dy wowsers".

 

[Brian_B]

Paul

Totally agree and this is the same sentiment I expressed a few weeks ago on the forum.
She does spend a lot of time moaning. Like a little like a kiddie trying to get attention.
Yes it's hard work, yes it's dangerous, yes she's getting paid to be there!

BB

 

[paulskent]

Re Comment..

" Australia has a name for you guys; "Bunch a Bl**dy wowsers".

If you read my post correctly and carefully, you will not find any complaint. Just a personal observation that I find it painful to listen to her recordings. That is not to say that I have a lack of admiration for what she is trying to do or achieve.

I also make the observation that she does not appear to be enjoying herself very much.

I just thought it was an interesting contrast between her reports and the obvious enjoyment that Slocum took from his description of his sailing and his achievements.

Not sure why this is "wowsing"

Guess we are coming at it from too much of an intellectual perspective ?

/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif PK.

 

[Robin]

Those who can do....

............whilst those who cannot just criticise. In this case from a nice dry centrally heated place with someone nearby to talk to and a comfy bed ready for a full 8 hrs sleep every night.

Do please tell us your obviously considerable achievements so we can put things into their proper perspective. Do they have World Records for wingeing?

 

[mhouse]

Brian,
Agree with you but remember its us thats paying her to do it every time a shiney new toy is bought.

 

[Spyro]

Its a shame for the sport that some on here find it a pain to listen to as we are the ones who have a faint idea of what she is going through. Can you imagine what Joe public thinks of her?